Digitally Recorded Education: Effects on Anxiety and Knowledge Recall in Patients Receiving First-Time Chemotherapy

Background: Prechemotherapy information is overwhelming, and retention of critical information can be challenging. Patients from a Southern California infusion clinic had varying degrees of retention when nurses used traditional one-on-one teaching with supplemental handouts.

Objectives: The intent of this article is to determine the effectiveness of standardized, digitally recorded education as an alternative teaching method for increasing knowledge recall and decreasing anxiety in English- and Spanish-speaking patients receiving first-time chemotherapy.

Methods: Baseline data were obtained from five patients who received traditional teaching. Using a pre-/post-test design, 92 patients receiving digitally recorded education completed a paper-and-pencil instrument that rated their anxiety and knowledge recall.

Findings: The digitally recorded education method produced significant decreases in anxiety and increases in knowledge recall.